Ricotta Gnocchi alla Sorrentina with Buffalo Mozzarella

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina is a dish with origins in Sorrento, Italy – a charming coastal town located near the Amalfi coast. We recently invited Vincenzo's Plate to come cook this delicious recipe, his version is tweaked slightly, using a ricotta gnocchi instead of traditional potato ones.

Layered with love, the ricotta gnocchi are smothered in a decadent sauce, creating a delightful union of flavours. But what truly makes this dish a masterpiece is the generous amount of Buffalo Mozzarella melted throughout, elevating it to a new level!

For Ricotta Gnocchi

• 500g Fresh Ricotta
• 300g 00 Flour
• 4 ½ TBSP Pecorino cheese
• 1 Free Range Egg
• Some additional flour, for rolling out the gnocchi

For Tomato Sauce

• 1 bottle of Passata (use a high-quality tomato puree with only tomatoes and salt in the ingredients)
• 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

To Finish

• 2x Buffalo Mozzarella 125g
• Fresh Basil

To Make Ricotta Gnocchi

• Put the ricotta in a bowl and gently mash it with a fork. Add the flour, pecorino, egg, and mix. Use your hands to combine everything to make the dough. Knead the dough with one hand to form a pliable ball.
• Cover the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
• Dust your chopping board lightly with flour, and gently press the dough from the middle to the top with a rolling pin. Turn it, roll it again, and keep pressing gently while adding flour to avoid sticking until the dough turns into a thick flatbread shape.
• Take a knife and cut the flattened dough into long strips, ideally 1-inch wide. Sprinkle the chopping board with a little more flour and roll all the dough strips into thin logs about finger thickness.
• Slice the ropes crosswise into ¾-inch diagonal shapes with a dough scraper. Toss the pieces lightly in flour to prevent sticking or clumping together. Toss the Ricotta Gnocchi in a large tray lined with a baking sheet and place in the fridge.

To Make the Tomato Sauce

• Heat a cast iron skillet over low heat and add EVOO and crushed garlic, followed by a little splash of water. Once the garlic bubbles, add the passata.
• Add salt and pepper and cook the sauce on a low flame for at least 10 minutes (20 minutes at most) and set it aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Drop in the gnocchi and let it cook for a few minutes until it floats on the surface. Once cooked, collect the gnocchi with a strainer.
• Put the sauce back on the stove, mix in the cooked ricotta gnocchi, and gently mix everything. Switch off the stove.
• Cut Buffalo mozzarella into cubes and mix half of them into the sauce alongside pecorino cheese.
• Add basil, stir it again, and top with the remaining Buffalo mozzarella.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Put your cast iron skillet in the oven under the grill and bake for 5 to 8 minutes until the cheese melts with a nice crust on the top.

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